An Instagram story posted by Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt has taken over the NFL world. With his contract expiring after this season, many are wondering if Watt will stay in Pittsburgh. Contract extensions to other pass rushers like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby have exploded the market, meaning getting a deal done won’t be easy. However, Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac is confident one will get done, just not at an exorbitant price tag.
“T.J. wants to stay here. They will want to keep him here,” said Dulac on The Rich Eisen Show Friday. “What it’s going to take, we’ll see. I can’t answer that question right now. I think it’s an end-of-the-summer type of, August for sure, type of a situation where that’s where it would get resolved.”
Dulac is saying what many believe. Watt will sign an extension with the Steelers, but it will take time. In a perfect world, the Steelers would have signed him earlier before the pass rush market reset with Crosby and Garrett’s deals. Now, Pittsburgh will pay the literal price.
Watt will likely want to reset the pass rush market and top Garrett’s $40 million a year deal. Unfortunately for Watt, he is coming off a down year for his standard, recording 61 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. His 11.5 sacks are his lowest in a season where he played more than 10 games since his rookie year.
Although Watt will want to reset the market, Dulac isn’t convinced that will happen. Nor will it prevent a deal from being reached.
“You’re not gonna see another monster deal like he had the first time relative to the salaries. But they want to keep him, and he wants to be here,” said Dulac.
If Watt gets a deal lower than Garrett’s, what could it look like? Contract guru Daniel Salib posted on Twitter that Watt will probably get a deal making $38 million a year, sandwiching Crosby and Garrett.
TJ watt: 4 years 152m (38 APY) with 95m in total guarantees (including old money). Watt would split Crosby and Garrett’s new money APY here, and he keeps up with cap inflation from his last deal. He’s a big beneficiary of the EDGE market boom. Total years would match Crosby.
— Daniel Salib (@salibdaniel1) March 28, 2025
If Salib is right, it seems fair. Coming off a down year, it’s hard to justify paying Watt over $40 million a year. This also aligns with Dulac’s opinion that the deal won’t be done until August. Watt isn’t going to be enthusiastic about signing a deal worth less than Garrett’s, so there is no reason why he would rush to sign.
However, if he does want to stay with Pittsburgh, getting a deal done requires compromise. A deal worth $38 million a year, making him the second-highest-paid pass rusher in the NFL at 30 years old, is a fair middle ground.
